Abu Jundal motivated IM members for jehad, say police

New Delhi Sep 26 (IANS) Abu Jundal motivated Indian Mujahideen (IM) members for jehad, Delhi Police have said in their charge sheet against the 26/11 terror attack handler.

"Jundal disclosed that he is a member of the LeT (Lashkar-e-Taiba) and knew all leaders of the Indian Mujahideen and motivated some members for jehad," the charge sheet filed in a Delhi court said.

Along with LeT member Zaki-ur-Rehman alias Lakhvi, Abu Alkama, Abu Kahafa, Khalid, Zarar and Shahid, Jundal was present in the "control room" in Malir town near Karachi, Pakistan, and monitoring the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai that left 166 people killed.

The "control room" was set up in the office of an associate, called Yaqoob, and the handlers were watching the developments relating to the attack on Indian TV news channels during Nov 26-28, 2008.

Delhi Police in the charge sheet have also mentioned the names of 19 other accused, including Fasih Mehmood, as terror suspects who wanted to set up an IM network in India. However, these suspects have not been charge sheeted. Fasih Mehmood is in jail in Saudi Arabia on charges of suspected terrorism and India is trying to get him extradited.

Among the 19 names is that Ahmed Siddi Bappa, the IM head.

Jundal had given training to the 10 terrorists, including Ajmal Kasab, who perpetrated the 2008 Mumbai attack. The training was given at Muzzafarabad in Pakistan-administered Kashmir for 10 days before the attack was mounted. He taught the men Hindi and local languages spoken in Mumbai.

During the attack, Jundal was in regular touch with two of the terrorists, Abu Akasha and Abu Fahadulla, who were killed by Indian security forces. Kasab, the only Pakistani terrorist caught alive during the 26/11 Mumbai strike, has been awarded death sentence by Indian courts.

The other 26/11 attackers - Abu Umar, Ismail, Abu Rahman (big), Abu Rahman (small), Musab, Umer and Ali - have also been named in the charge sheet.

In the charge sheet, police said that the 2002 anti-Muslim riots in Gujarat had spurred Jundal to join the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror group to "take revenge on India" and that led to his radicalisation and jehadi indoctrination.

Jundal then started giving training to IM members and tried to set up banned outfits in India to lead the terror attack in the country.

He was using various email IDs to spread his jehad message, the police said.

Jundal, 30, in February 2006 planted a bomb in a train in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. It was his first involvement in any terror attack in the country. He was then sent by his handlers to Nashik to deliver automatic weapons, where one of his associates was arrested but Jundal escaped. Jundal then fled to Pakistan via Kolkata and Bangladesh.

Police booked him for various offences dealing with conspiracy, forgery and possession of forged or counterfeit currency notes under the Indian Penal Code and also under the Explosive Substances Act, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, passport act and the Arms Act.

Jundal was arrested June 21 by Delhi Police after one of the accused in a firing incident at Jama Masjid here ahead of the 2010 Commonwealth Games revealed his name. The accused, Mohd. Adil, told police that Jundal motivated him for jehad.

Jundal was nabbed at Delhi International Airport upon arrival from Saudi Arabia in June. He is currently in the custody of the Mumbai Police anti-terrorism squad. He was remanded in police custody Sep 11 for his links with Sheikh Lalbaba Farid, alias Bilal, also an alleged LeT member.